Consequences of Heartbreak
by Rainwriter
Summary: Multiple crossover. The first chapter is simply introduction to the main character who is my own creation. So far New York of Bedlam's Bard is her playground, from there things follow their "natural" course. Please give it a try... Rating for safety.
1. Be Careful What You Wish For

A/N: This is the first story that I have ever put on line, so bare with me if I have a few technical difficulties along the way. I'd really like to know what you think, even critisim as long as it's constructive. That said, I hope you enjoy. The none original character show up in the next chapter.

Prologue: Be Careful What You Wish For

"Blessed Lady, please, hear my words," The small redhead begged. Her head was bowed over the Wishing Spring in supplication, tears breaking the pristine, smooth surface, and creating ripples where there had only been calm moments before. "I wish no harm to those who have hurt me, but my heart has broken and I fear it may not mend. Please, Blessed Lady, hear my prayer, and bring me far away from here, where I may make myself whole."

If ever her plea was to be heard, it would be here, in this grove on this night. Midsummer was the night of the Lady. For several long moments, there was no response, then the barest stirring in the breeze was followed by a light touch on her back. A sense of mounting power drowned everything else away, and in the haze of it, she lost consciousness.

When she again awoke, she was still in a forest glade, but that was the only thing about her position that held the same. Even the colors were wrong, drab and dull, and the sky was of all colors blue, not the violet to which she was accustomed. The sounds were off as well, thought not so glaringly so. It was almost as if someone had taken her home, changed the color of the sky, and cast a fog over everything else.

Was this the way her plea was answered then? Angry tears began a slow trek down her cheeks and neck. This place, whatever it was, was entirely alien, totally foreign. Nothing here seemed real, just some pale shadow of what she had so loved. Was this a test then? Had she some flaw that was being punished for her presumption that the Lady had the leisure to help her in her innocence inflicted agony?

Or was it more sinister than that? Had Risa gotten one of her friends to do away with the unwelcome "child" in her new home? How could they have done this to her? Morrin whom she loved so dearly, and Risa once her best friend, until she'd pulled her back from the brink of death. The rage that came to her then frightened her, she could not imagine how she was allowing herself to feel such dark things, but she could feel it twisting at her insides, turning her stomach to a roiling mass.

After all she had done for them, all the information that she had gathered for the Guild, all of Morrin's students she had Healed. After everything she'd done for him he took another to wife! Not just any other either, no, he took Risa who had cursed her when she'd saved the older girls life. Called her Hell-spawn, and treated her as a monster. All of these things she had done for them, and so many others with no hope or expectation of repayment in any way. She'd done it all for love, and then she'd been cast aside like some useless tool when another presented themselves.

Perhaps she should have gone with Daemion, he'd promised her a place at the Cerian Court. She should have gone with him, but the sorrow on Morrin's face had kept her from it. How could he have stolen a possible future from her, and then destroyed the one she had planned? Again the anger and pain crept deeper into her, radiating up her spine and down her legs, a chill was followed by a was of burning rage and something changed in her. Slowly, Rain became calm, coolly calm. What had happened had been tragic, but it was in the past and beyond redemption. There was only one thing she could do now and that was ensure that no one else had to go thorough this pain she was feeling.

A rustling in the brush was all the reminder that she needed that she was in unfamiliar perhaps even hostile territory. Fleet as any woodland animal, she was on her feet and disappearing into the trees. First she would determine the lay of this new land, and then she would start on her mission. No one under her watch would go through these painful, frightening emotions so long as she could do anything about it. She had to have been put into this place for a reason, now all that there was to do was determine how best to go about accomplishing that purpose.


	2. New Mission, Same Resolve

Disclaimer: Characters and situations that belong to Mercedes Lackey in this or subsequent chapters are her creations. I'm only borrowing them to give little Rain some play mates.

A/N: This chapter is a little slow... I'm still in the set up stages, this is likely to be a long story if I get enough feed back on it. If not I'll try with one of my other ideas.

Chapter One: New Mission, Same Resolve

Eric Banyon rubbed wearily at his eyes. He should have known that the peace that had come in the wake of the fiasco in Atlantic City had been to good to last. It had been three days since the two major power fluxes in the vicinity of Central Park, and he'd found out absolutely zero, zilch, nothing of any use. At least there hadn't been any power fluxes since, and though the signature of the second flux had been filled with rage, no one seemed to have been harmed.

Tannim Drake from Fairgrove had even come to ask about the disturbance, which had brought home exactly how strong the fluxes had been. After assuring himself that everything and everyone where well enough, he'd gone back home with the admonition to let him know if they needed help. Eric had every intention of taking the man up on it if necessary, he had no intention of going up against something that could use that much energy, and then hide without a trace, alone. No, for something like that, they would need all the back up that they could get.

Eric groaned as he saw the time. Magnus would be home from school so, and likely he'd want to go visit Ace. It was at times like this that Eric was very glad that he'd likely never have any children of his own. Adopting and raising his kid brother, even for so short a time was all the confirmation that he needed that he wasn't particularly cut out to be a father. 'Thank God Kory let me dodge that bullet,' he thought idly as he went back over every scrap that he'd come across in the past few days, looking for any indication of what he might be dealing with. Oh well, with any luck Ria might actually be home for once, and then maybe, he'd get a chance to talk with her about something other than this new "menace".

"One can always dream," He muttered under his breath as Magnus came home.

***

Three days, and this was the best that she had managed to do for the children she had saved. True this dilapidated place was better than the hell-hole she had found them in, but she looked on the two sleeping figures with sadness in her heart, wanting more. Particularly for little Kris... Her heart still ached for the infant and the loss of his mother. If only she'd been a little faster. If only those selfish evil children had never poisoned them in the first place. If only they had no access to those drugs that had so fogged their minds and caused all of this strife. She surveyed the contents of their loft and felt a stab of guilt. They'd had to steal it all, the bottles and diapers the food and clothing, a baby couldn't live without those things, and she'd learned quickly that her gold coins were not money here. That hadn't kept her from leaving some whenever they took something though, after all she doubted this place was so different as to render gold worthless.

They had everything they needed now though, and she was ready to start on her task. A task that had changed slightly in the preceding days, now that she had seen the true evils that lurked in this world. Her first goal would be to dispose of those that gave such hurtful substances to children, peaceably if possible. This would also give her the chance to garner the language of this place from them, that would allow her to obtain employment, which in turn would let he take care of her children without ever filching anything again.

A smile touched her lips as she looked upon her sleeping children. Nina was curled protectively beside Kris' crib acting the part of the big sister perfectly. Now it was her turn, knowing that they would be safe here, she left the dilapidated warehouse, she had hunting to do. It didn't take her long to come across two men in the midst of a drug deal, and patiently she let one of them walk away before stalking up on the one who had sold the drugs.

"Do you know what you do, to the people to whom you sell those despicable things?" She asked voice smooth as silk, and full of energy. This was not her favorite power to use, to play with one's will and make it her own, but she doubted the man would stop just because she asked. "You kill them good sir. Or rather give them the means to commit suicide or murder, and what do you do with your ill gotten gains I wonder? Does it go to helping anyone but yourself?"

The mans head dropped as she knew that it would, and he stuttered out. "I'm sorry, I-I don't know what I ever thought I was doing." His eyes came up to hers then and he pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket. "You're a good lady, showing me the error of my ways. Here, take this, you care, I'm sure you'll use it for good, I was just gonna buy booze."

She accepted the bills a little baffled this hadn't been part of her intent, but apparently the words that she had used had made him wish to give her his money, carefully playing it all over in her head, she realized where the wish had come from, and that this had all been drug money. She shoved it in her pocket without a second thought, and gave the man a gentle smile. "Now go on your way, and think before you do what may harm someone."

"Yes ma'am," the man agreed, before hurrying away. Shrugging off the head ache that she had given herself, and marveling at the new words she'd garnered from the mans head, she continued after the other party of this transaction. This encounter went similar, though the man in question threw down the drugs as opposed to giving her money, and by the time she was done clearing his system, she knew a good deal about where to find other transaction like the one she had just foiled, if after the fact. She also had more of her new language to wade through. She'd done well enough for one night, with a yawn she headed home, tomorrow would be soon enough to continue onward with her quest.

A/N: If you like this and want more, review. I'm not posting anymore of it until I have at least one or two. I don't see a point if no one's going to read it.


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